Cork compressor mechanism

ABSTRACT

A device for reducing the diameter of corks and the like for ease of insertion into the neck of a bottle or like container comprising parts having arcuate surfaces arranged around a common center for movement relative to each other, said surfaces collectively defining a cylindrical opening for receiving an object to be compressed and said surfaces lapping successively in one direction around the opening and one of the parts being fixed and the other parts being movable relative to the fixed part and to each other to, on the one hand, increase the lapping to compress the object contained in the opening and on the other hand to decrease the lapping to release the object and a lever for effecting movement of the movable parts relative to the fixed part.

United States Patent Vergobbi Nov. 25, 1975 CORK COMPRESSOR MECHANISM [75] Inventor: Robert W. Vergobbi, Braintree, Pri'flary ExamirferTravls McGehee Mass Asszstant Exammerl-1orace M. Culver Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert T. Gammons [73] Assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corporation,

Quincy, Mass.

[57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Aug. 12, 1974 Appl. No.: 496,621

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS A device for reducing the diameter of corks and the like for ease of insertion into the neck of a bottle or like container comprising parts having arcuate surfaces arranged around a common center for movement relative to each other, said surfaces collectively defining a cylindrical opening for receiving an object to be compressed and said surfaces lapping successively in one direction around the opening and one of the parts being fixed and the other parts being movable relative to the fixed part and to each other to, on the one hand, increase the lapping to compress the ob- .ject contained in the opening and on the other hand to decrease the lapping to release the object and a lever for effecting movement of the movable parts relative to the fixed part.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 12,874 6/1908 United Kingdom ..53/326 400,506 3/1909 France.... 53/326 999,633 10/1951 France ..53/326 l m' l I2 12 ls l/ T 161') 42- |ec I00 f:*= l l I 44 P/r 18 1O 1 1 4s {Toe so I 41 U..S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet 1 of4 3,921,370

Sheet 2 of 4 I I I Nov. 25, 1975 US. Patent US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet30f4 3,921,370

Sheet 4 of 4 US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 "iii:

CORK COMPRESSOR MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Many beverages, especially wines and champagne and many liquid food supplements such as oils, vinegars and the like are bottled in glass bottles with corks as closures. In order that the cork will make a perfectly good seal it is, of course, made somewhat larger than the inside diameter of the neck of the bottle and may be tapered in the reverse direction so that when forced into the bottle the larger end will expand and will pre vent the pressure within the bottle from forcing the cork out. The size and shape of the cork thus makes it quite difficult to insert it and various expedients have been employed to pro-compress the cork sufficiently to enable inserting it in the neck of the bottle without adversely effecting its natural expansion after it has been inserted. This invention relates to a device by means of which corks may be temporarily reduced in diameter sufficiently to permit them to be easily inserted into the necks of the bottles and as herein illustrated is of simple design and construction, durable and easy to operate.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION As herein illustrated the device comprises a support and parts having arcuate surfaces arranged thereon around a common center for movement relative to each other, said surfaces collectively defining a cylindrical opening and lapping successively in one direction around the opening. One of the parts is fixed to the support and the other parts are movable relative to the one part and to each other to, on the one hand, increase the lapping and on the other hand to decrease the lapping and there is means for effecting movement of the movable parts relative to the fixed part. More specifically, there are four such parts in the form of blocks having flat and arcuate surfaces arranged for rectilinear movement relative to each other about a common center with the flat surfaces at right angles to each other and there is means for supporting the movable parts for movement relative to the fixed part and to each other. The blocks have right angularly disposed sides and ends and are arranged around a common center with the sides of the respective blocks in engagement with the ends of the preceding blocks in the direction of rotation. One of the movable blocks is provided with a cam member and there is a lever pivotally mounted on the support for rotation relative thereto to 1 effect movement of the movable block to effect contraction of the opening. Another of the movable blocks is provided with spring means which yieldably resist its movement so as to effect expansion of the opening.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the device shown in a partially contracted position;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of FIG. 1 taken on the line 2,2 of FIG. 1 with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1 with the parts contracted to the maximum extent and with parts shown in section;

FIG. 1 is an elevation of FIG. 3 taken from the line 4,4 of FIG. 3 with parts in section.

Referring to the drawings, the device comprises four jaws, 10, 12, 14 and 16 arranged clockwise around a common center which define a central opening 18. The jaws are mounted on a supporting plate 20 for relative jaws 12, 14 and 16 are movable relative to the fixed jaw and to each other. Each of the jaws has a flat surface and a curved surface, to wit, flat surfaces 10a, 12a, 14a and 16a which are slidably engaged and curved surfaces which are semi-cylindrical in form, 10b, 12b, 14b, and 1612 which collectively define the cylindrical opening 18. As will be seen, the flat surface of 12a of jaw 12 is slidably engaged with the end of jaw 10, the flat surface 14a of jaw 14 is slidingly engaged with the end of jaw 12, the flat surface 16a of jaw 16 slidingly engaged with the end of jaw 14 and the flat surface 10a of the jaw 10 is slidingly engaged with the end of the jaw 16. The jaw 12 is held slidingly engaged with the jaw 10 by a fixed guide or abutment 24 so that it 'slides rectilinearly, the jaw 14 is held by a guide or abutment 26 in engagement with the jaws 12 and 16 and the jaw 16 is held by guides or abutments 28 and 30 in engagement with the jaw 10. The jaws l2 and 16 are substantially rectangular in section so that their movement is confined to rectilinear movement relative to the jaw 10. The jaw 14 is of triangular section .and so it is movable in two directions, both rectilinear, in one direction parallel to the side of the jaw 14 and in the other direction parallel to the end of the jaw 10.

To effect opening of the jaws a roller member 32 is rotatably mounted in a slot 34 in the block 16 on a post 35 fixed at its lower end to the plate 20 with a portion protruding from the slot, a lever 36 is pivotally mounted at one end on a post 38 fixed at its lower end to the plate 20 and a cam roller 40 is mounted to the one end of the lever in eccentric relation to the pivot axis so as to have engagement with the roller 32. Rotation of the lever 36 will force the jaw 16 to slide along the surface 10a of the jaw 10. Movement of the jaw 16 towards the left as shown in FIG. 1 applies a force in the same direction to the jaw 14, however, since the latter is constrained by the guide 26 it is required to move downwardly as well as towards the left. Downward movement of the jaw 14 applies downward pressure to the end of the jaw 12 so as to force it downwardly along the end of the jaw 10. The collective movement of the several jaws relative to the jaw 10, reduces the size of the opening 18, and operates to compress a cork placed in the opening. Movement of the jaw blocks by means of the lever 36 to constrict the opening is opposed by a spring 42 mounted in a hole 44 in the block 12 and retained therein by a plug 46, secure in the hole 44 against the spring 42 by bolts 47 so that when the lever is released the jaws will be moved relative to each other to their expanded positions to permit removal of the compressed cork.

To facilitate introducing the cork into the opening 18 the arcuate portions 10b, 12b, 14b and 16b are beveled at their upper edges as shown in FIG. 2.

An adapter 49 is removably fastened to the plate 20 by a bracket plate 48 containing an open side socket 50 concentric with the axis of the opening 18 for receiving the upper end of the neck of the bottle B to hold it centered with respect to the axis of the opening 18. The adapter is removably attached so that it may be replaced with one of a different size for bottles of different diameter. A hole 51 is provided in the plate in concentric relation with the opening 18 and to the adapter.

As illustrated herein, the device is adapted to be supported by a supporting bracket between a reciprocally mounted plunger P at the upper side and a reciprocally mounted bottle support at the lower side. Such apparatus may be employed with filling and/or capping machinery, for example, by mounting one such device adjacent each filling head or capping head. In such a combination means would be provided for supplying corks to the devices for reduction in diameter to permit entrance into the necks of the bottles, plungers P for discharging the corks after reduction into the necks and means such as a cam or linkage in place of the levers 36 for automatically effecting operation of the devices in timed relation to the filling and/or capping operatrons.

In order to prevent the corks from dropping through the opening 18 before the jaws are contracted there is a spring pressed slide 60 mounted in a slot in the top of the plate 20 with an end projecting part way across the lower open end of the opening. The slide 60 is arranged to be yieldingly held in a position projecting across the lower end of the opening and to be withdrawn following compression of the cork and expansion of the opening to allow the cork to be ejected. As herein illustrated the slide is shown as adapted to be manually withdrawn, however, if the device is to be used with filling or capping machinery it may be mechanically drawn with suitable linkage.

The tool as thus described is extremely simple, durable and easy to manipulate and is well adapted to accommodate the corks of the length and diameter normally encountered in the bottling business. The tool may be comprised of metal, for example, stainless steel or aluminum to resist the corrosive effect of the liquids being bottled or may be comprised in certain instances where extreme compressive pressures are not required of plastic in which case the parts may be easily molded and assembled rather inexpensively.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and includes all modifications or improvements which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device comprising a fixed block having right angularly disposed side and end surfaces, a movable block having a right angularly disposed side and end surfaces arranged with the side surface in sliding engagement to the end surface of the first fixed block for movement of its side surface perpendicular to the side surface of the fixed block, a second movable block having right angularly disposed side and end surfaces supported with its side surface in sliding engagement with the end surface of the first block for movement of its side surface parallel to the end surface of the first block and perpendicular to said end surface and a third movable block having right angularly disposed side and end surfaces disposed with its side surface in sliding engagement with the end surface of the second block for movement perpendicular to said end surface and with its end surface in sliding engagement with the side surface of the first block for movement parallel thereto, and means for effecting movement of the third block along the fixed block towards the second block to cause said second block to move along'the end surface of the first block and along the side surface of the third block, and said second block by said movement along the third block moving the first block along the end surface of the fixed block.

2. A device according to claim 1, comprising means for slidingly supporting the blocks in engagement with each other.

3. A device according to claim 1, comprising a cam lever for effecting movement of the third block and spring for resisting movement of the first block.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said side surfaces define an opening for receiving a cork for compression of the latter, comprising an adapter secured to the lower side of the support means containing an opening for receiving the neck of a bottle into which a cork is to be inserted with the opening in the support means concentric with the opening defined by said side surfaces.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the adapter has an open side for receiving the neck of the bottle.

6. A device according to claim 4, wherein there is means detachably mounting the adapter to enable substituting different size adapters to the different size bottles.

7. A device according to claim 4, wherein the upper ends of the parts around the opening are beveled.

8. A device according to claim 4, wherein there is means arranged to support the device between a reciprocal plunger above it and a bottle support below it with the axis of the plunger, the opening and the neck of the bottle coinciding.

9. A device according to claim 4, comprising means supported at the lower open end of the opening with an end extending part way across the opening, said means being retractable to remove said end from the opening. 

1. A device comprising a fixed block having right angularly disposed side and end surfaces, a movable block having a right angularly disposed side and end surfaces arranged with the side surface in sliding engagement to the end surface of the first fixed block for movement of its side surface perpendicular to the side surface of the fixed block, a second movable block having right angularly disposed side and end surfaces supported with its side surface in sliding engagement with the end surface of the first block for movement of its side surface parallel to the end surface of the first block and perpendicular to said end surface and a third movable block having right angularly disposed side and end surfaces disposed with its side surface in sliding engagement with the end surface of the second block for movement perpendicular to said end surface and with its end surface in sliding engagement with the side surface of the first block for movement parallel thereto, and means for effecting movement of the third block along the fixed block towards the second block to cause said second block to move along the end surface of the first block and along the side surface of the third block, and said second block by sAid movement along the third block moving the first block along the end surface of the fixed block.
 2. A device according to claim 1, comprising means for slidingly supporting the blocks in engagement with each other.
 3. A device according to claim 1, comprising a cam lever for effecting movement of the third block and spring for resisting movement of the first block.
 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said side surfaces define an opening for receiving a cork for compression of the latter, comprising an adapter secured to the lower side of the support means containing an opening for receiving the neck of a bottle into which a cork is to be inserted with the opening in the support means concentric with the opening defined by said side surfaces.
 5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the adapter has an open side for receiving the neck of the bottle.
 6. A device according to claim 4, wherein there is means detachably mounting the adapter to enable substituting different size adapters to the different size bottles.
 7. A device according to claim 4, wherein the upper ends of the parts around the opening are beveled.
 8. A device according to claim 4, wherein there is means arranged to support the device between a reciprocal plunger above it and a bottle support below it with the axis of the plunger, the opening and the neck of the bottle coinciding.
 9. A device according to claim 4, comprising means supported at the lower open end of the opening with an end extending part way across the opening, said means being retractable to remove said end from the opening. 